1963 German Grand Prix

1963 German Grand Prix
Race details
Date	4 August 1963
Official name	XXV Grosser Preis von Deutschland
Location	Nürburgring Nürburg, West Germany
Course	Permanent racing facility
Course length	22.810 km (14.173 miles)
Distance	15 laps, 342.150 km (212.602 miles)
Weather	Warm, dry and sunny, 21C.
Pole position
Driver	Jim Clark	Lotus-Climax
Time	8:45.8
Fastest lap
Driver	John Surtees	Ferrari
Time	8:47.0 on lap 9
Podium
First	John Surtees	Ferrari
Second	Jim Clark	Lotus-Climax
Third	Richie Ginther	BRM
Lap leaders

The 1963 German Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Nürburgring on 4 August 1963. It was race 6 of 10 in both the 1963 World Championship of Drivers and the 1963 International Cup for Formula One Manufacturers. The 15-lap race was won by Ferrari driver John Surtees after he started from second position. Jim Clark finished second for the Lotus team and BRM driver Richie Ginther came in third.

Race report

Jim Clark led away from pole in his customary fashion. Behind him Lorenzo Bandini spun in front of Innes Ireland who collected him, Willy Mairesse had an accident, and Chris Amon sustained a knee injury when the steering broke, catapulting him into the trees. Graham Hill retired leaving Clark to battle away with John Surtees and Trevor Taylor before engine problems befell Taylor. When Clark's engine went down to just 7 cylinders, Surtees was able to pass him easily to lead him home to take his first F1 victory. Richie Ginther completed the podium. Gerhard Mitter finished in a superb fourth place in his home race from Jim Hall and Jo Bonnier.

This race was notable for being the only time Jim Clark ever finished second in a World Championship race, as well the only race of the season won by a non-British team.

Classification

Qualifying

Pos	No	Driver	Constructor	Qualifying times			Gap
				Q1	Q2	Q3
1	3	Jim Clark	Lotus-Climax	9:02.0	9:44.0	8:45.8	—
2	7	John Surtees	Ferrari	8:53.7	9:46.6	8:53.4	+7.6
3	15	Lorenzo Bandini	BRM	8:59.3	10:28.0	8:54.3	+8.5
4	1	Graham Hill	BRM	9:11.8	10:13.8	8:57.2	+11.4
5	5	Bruce McLaren	Cooper-Climax	10:01.5	10:09.9	8:57.3	+11.5
6	2	Richie Ginther	BRM	9:02.8	9:55.0	Unknown	+17.0
7	8	Willy Mairesse	Ferrari	9:05.5	10:41.2	9:03.5	+17.7
8	9	Jack Brabham	Brabham-Climax	9:04.2	11:17.8	Unknown	+18.4
9	18	Jo Siffert	Lotus-BRM	9:23.3	9:59.3	9:11.1	+25.3
10	6	Tony Maggs	Cooper-Climax	9:45.0	10:04.4	9:11.6	+25.8
11	14	Innes Ireland	Lotus-BRM	9:48.1	10:37.9	9:14.6	+28.8
12	16	Jo Bonnier	Cooper-Climax	9:24.3	9:58.6	9:16.0	+30.2
13	10	Dan Gurney	Brabham-Climax	9:38.2	10:41.4	9:17.2	+31.4
14	21	Chris Amon	Lola-Climax	No time	No time	9:20.1	+34.3
15	26	Gerhard Mitter	Porsche	9:34.8	10:58.8	9:20.9	+35.1
16	20	Jim Hall	Lotus-BRM	9:50.1	11:19.0	9:22.7	+36.9
17	17	Carel Godin de Beaufort	Porsche	9:34.9	10:21.5	9:25.1	+39.3
18	4	Trevor Taylor	Lotus-Climax	9:33.8	10:34.2	Unknown	+48.0
19	24	Ian Burgess	Scirocco-BRM	No time	No time	9:52.2	+1:06.4
20	22	Mário de Araújo Cabral	Cooper-Climax	14:20.3	No time	9:53.1	+1:07.3
21	28	Bernard Collomb	Lotus-Climax	10:11.4	No time	10:01.0	+1:15.2
22	23	Tony Settember	Scirocco-BRM	No time	No time	10:02.0	+1:16.2
23	29	André Pilette	Lotus-Climax	11:16.9	11:20.1	10:20.0	+1:34.2
24	25	Ian Raby	Gilby-BRM	10:44.7	11:37.1	Unknown	+1:58.9
25	30	Tim Parnell	Lotus-Climax	11:07.2	12:02.2	No time	+2:21.4
26	27	Kurt Kuhnke	Lotus-Borgward	14:48.1	12:53.1	11:23.5	+2:37.7
Source:

Race

Pos	No	Driver	Constructor	Laps	Time/Retired	Grid	Points
1	7	John Surtees	Ferrari	15	2:13:06.8	2	9
2	3	Jim Clark	Lotus-Climax	15	+ 1:17.5	1	6
3	2	Richie Ginther	BRM	15	+ 2:44.9	6	4
4	26	Gerhard Mitter	Porsche	15	+ 8:11.5	15	3
5	20	Jim Hall	Lotus-BRM	14	+ 1 lap	16	2
6	16	Jo Bonnier	Cooper-Climax	14	+ 1 lap	12	1
7	9	Jack Brabham	Brabham-Climax	14	+ 1 lap	8
8	4	Trevor Taylor	Lotus-Climax	14	+ 1 lap	18
9	18	Jo Siffert	Lotus-BRM	10	Differential	9
10	28	Bernard Collomb	Lotus-Climax	10	+ 5 laps	21
Ret	17	Carel Godin de Beaufort	Porsche	9	Wheel	17
Ret	6	Tony Maggs	Cooper-Climax	7	Engine	10
Ret	10	Dan Gurney	Brabham-Climax	6	Gearbox	13
Ret	22	Mário de Araújo Cabral	Cooper-Climax	6	Gearbox	20
Ret	24	Ian Burgess	Scirocco-BRM	5	Steering	19
Ret	23	Tony Settember	Scirocco-BRM	5	Accident	22
Ret	5	Bruce McLaren	Cooper-Climax	3	Accident	5
Ret	1	Graham Hill	BRM	2	Gearbox	4
Ret	21	Chris Amon	Lola-Climax	1	Accident	14
Ret	8	Willy Mairesse	Ferrari	1	Accident	7
Ret	14	Innes Ireland	Lotus-BRM	1	Accident	11
Ret	15	Lorenzo Bandini	BRM	0	Accident	3
DNQ	29	André Pilette	Lotus-Climax
DNQ	25	Ian Raby	Gilby-BRM
DNQ	30	Tim Parnell	Lotus-Climax
DNQ	27	Kurt Kuhnke	Lotus-Borgward
WD	11	Phil Hill	ATS		Car damaged in transit
WD	12	Giancarlo Baghetti	ATS		Car damaged in transit
WD	19	Masten Gregory	Lotus-BRM		Car not ready
Source:

Notes

• This was the Formula One World Championship debut for German driver Kurt Kuhnke.
• This was the 100th race for a Ferrari-powered car.
• This race marked the 99th and 100th Formula One World Championship podium finish for a British driver.

Championship standings after the race

Drivers' Championship standings

	Pos	Driver	Points
	1	Jim Clark	42
2	2	John Surtees	22
1	3	Richie Ginther	18
1	4	Graham Hill	13
	5	Dan Gurney	12
Source:

Constructors' Championship standings

	Pos	Constructor	Points
	1	Lotus-Climax	43
3	2	Ferrari	22
1	3	BRM	22
1	4	Cooper-Climax	17
1	5	Brabham-Climax	13
Source:

• Notes: Only the top five positions are included for both sets of standings.